Baker's Dozen
by LobsterLobster
Summary: Prompt: Give us your best one sentence stories of a variety of genre's. All Richonne all the time! Now with expanded scenes! (in progress) UPDATE: Rick is trapped by a cave-in and, when Jedi Master Michonne doesn't show up to save the day like usual, he know that she must be in trouble. Will he and Daryl be able to find her in time?
1. Chapter 1 - Initial Prompt

A/N: I originally posted this under First Kisses, but now that I'm expanding it I want to make it separate. Please enjoy!

The Baker's Dozen Challenge

Prompt: Give us your best one sentence stories of a variety of genre's.

 **1\. Angst**

At the sound of her voice calling his name, Rick turned, lurching out of the shadows to grab Michonne's arms in a vice-like grip before growling and sinking his teeth deep into her neck.

 **2\. AU**

"Hello, Officer," Michonne said innocently as she rolled down her window, putting on her most charming smile.

 **3\. Crack**

Centering herself in the Force, Michonne ignited her lightsaber and the weapon hummed as she deftly slashed through battle droids, one after another, until all twenty-four lay in a smoldering heap on the forest floor.

 **4\. Future Fic**

"I know, Mom. I love you," Carl said, hugging Michonne tightly.

 **5\. First Time**

This was a big step and Rick was trying hard not to let his nerves get the best of him as he adjusted his tie and cufflinks one last time before walking through the door to meet Michonne's parents for the first time.

 **6\. Fluff**

Rick snuggled in close behind Michonne, draping his arm over her and, as she wove her fingers through his, he felt himself relax for the first time that day.

 **7\. Humor**

Michonne couldn't keep from laughing at the sight of Rick hopelessly chasing the escaped piglets through the muddy field.

 **8\. Hurt / Comfort**

"We'll get through this, all of it, together," Michonne said softly, brushing Rick's curls back from his forehead as he sat on the ground, once again shell-shocked, staring at the lifeless body of his closest friend.

 **9\. Romance**

Rick was well aware of Michonne's views on the whole institution, but he couldn't help it; he was a romantic at heart, so he saved up his money and bought a little diamond.

 **10\. UST**

Michonne refused to back down, staring defiantly into the startling blue of Rick's eyes.

 **11\. Domestic**

"Isn't that my toothpaste?" Rick raised an eyebrow, absurdly pleased that he'd finally caught Michonne red handed.

 **12\. Writer's Choice / Freeform**

Michonne stood on his doorstep at two in the morning, ready to turn around and forget the whole thing, when Rick closed the space between them and, cupping her face with his hands, kissed her like he'd been waiting his whole life to taste her lips.


	2. Chapter 2 - Traffic Stop AU Part 1

Baker's Dozen - AU

" **Hello, Officer," Michonne said innocently as she rolled down her window, putting on her most charming smile.**

"Ma'am, do you know how fast you were driving?" the officer had a distinct country twang and striking blue eyes.

"No, was I speeding?" Michonne looked up at him with wide-eyed innocence. She had definitely been speeding.

"Ma'am, this is a thirty mile an hour zone and you were going almost fifty," he informed her, then, "I'm going to need to see your license and registration."

"Of course," Michonne murmured, mentally cursing.

It was a long empty country road, nobody around for miles. She reached into the glove compartment and got her documents.

She handed them out the window, swallowing her annoyance and gave it one last shot, "I didn't realize how fast I was going. I'm usually a very safe driver, but I'm running late to pick my son up from Day Care."

Well, that last part was true. The officer, his badge read GRIMES, looked between her ID and her face. She met his eyes directly, hoping for mercy and, secretly, thinking that he might actually be handsome if he smiled a little.

"Hold on," he said, and walked back to his cruiser.

Michonne's mood soured further with each step he took in her side mirror. An interminable amount of time later, he reappeared.

He regarded her for a moment, almost like he was measuring his words. Michonne favored him with a steely expression, all attempts at flirtation now abandoned like a worn-out sofa left on the side of the road.

"Ma'am, I'm letting you off with a warning this time," he said, handing her the piece paper along with her ID and registration.

Michonne's eyes widened in surprise. Sure enough, the little printout said TRAFFIC NOTICE - WARNING at the top.

Before she could say anything, he continued, "But I do need you to obey the posted limits from here on out. There's a lot of kids live on the farms off this road."

"I will. I swear!" Michonne said, relief falling over her like an unexpected downpour. She smiled again and this time it was genuine. "Thank you."

For the smallest moment his serious demeanor warmed and a little smile tugged at his lips. His eyes darted to meet Michonne's before he adjusted his hat and with a final, "Be careful now," he turned and sauntered back to his cruiser.

* * *

"Who are you and what did you do with Rick Grimes?!"

Rick slid into the passenger side and shot his young partner a glare.

"I can't believe you let her off with a warning!" Tara shook her head in wonder and Rick groaned internally.

"I mean, I get it. She's gorgeous," Tara continued, glancing between the open laptop on the center console where the woman's profile was still open and the car pulling off the shoulder in front of them, "Like, no kidding movie star gorgeous. But it's just not like you."

Rick clicked back to the main database menu and the demure smile of her MVA photo disappeared. Almost nobody looked good in their MVA photo but somehow she did.

"She's going to pick up her kid," Rick defended his decision. Every parent deserved a little mercy sometimes.

Tara gave him the most unconvinced look he'd ever seen.

"And she's new to the area, so she probably isn't used to the speed limits yet," Rick added.

"Did she tell you that?" Tara asked doubtfully. It wasn't like Rick to accept excuses from anyone.

"No." Rick said, then, "Her address is listed as Atlanta but if she's going to Day Care then she must live nearby. Probably moved recently and hasn't updated her license yet."

"Hmm," Tara nodded, "Alright then."

She put the car into gear and pulled onto the road. Rick hoped that they would drive in silence until they found a new spot to stake out.

"You are hopeless, you know that?" Tara said with a playful smirk. It wasn't often that she got to tease her boss.

Rick ignored her and set about recalibrating the radar gun. Why _did_ he do that? It really wasn't like him to be swayed by a beautiful face.

It must have been something else then.


	3. Chapter 3 - Traffic Stop AU Part 2

A/N: Back by popular demand, here is a continuation of the Traffic Stop AU! I hope you like it. :)

…...

Baker's Dozen – AU Part 2

"Mama! Mama, look!" Andre said excitedly.

"What is it, babe?" Michonne asked, still focused on her shopping list.

"It's my friend! From Day Care!" Andre said, leaning over in the child seat of the shopping cart.

"Oh? Where?" Michonne asked, somehow not surprised that Andre had spotted a friend at the grocery store.

At five years old, he was already a social butterfly. The boy could make friends with anyone. His little dimples and wild curls certainly didn't hurt.

"Go back! Go back! You passed them!" Andre's frustration was so adorable that Michonne decided to humor him.

She spun the cart around and retraced their path, curious about this mystery friend. She glanced down the aisle they'd passed a moment before and didn't see anyone.

"Are you sure?" she asked Andre, almost ready to give up what was starting to feel like a wild goose hunt.

"Yes! Keep going!" Andre urged.

She continued on to the next aisle and sure enough, there was a little blonde girl about Andre's age sitting in a half-full shopping cart.

"Hi!" Andre shouted, waving enthusiastically.

The little girl spotted him and her face lit up.

"Hi!" she waved back.

The girl's father, who had been busy picking out a box of cereal, turned around. Despite wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt, Michonne recognized him immediately. It was Officer Blue Eyes.

He blinked once and she could see the moment that he recognized her too.

"Hello again," he said, a tad sheepishly.

Uncharacteristically, Michonne was temporarily unsure what to say.

"I'm Rick Grimes," he introduced himself, offering a hand.

"Michonne," she replied, shaking his hand. It felt warm and solid.

"I'm Andre!" her little one declared, not to be left out of anything.

Rick chuckled and Michonne found herself smiling back at him.

Rick completed the introductions, "And this is Judith," he said, stroking the little girl's head affectionately.

* * *

" _Well_?! Did you get her number or what?" Tara cut straight to the point.

Rick regretted mentioning the encounter almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He decided to blame the fact that they were on traffic duty once again, a dull but necessary part of Tara's training.

"We set up a play date for Judith and Andre," Rick admitted, adding, "Apparently they really hit it off in Day Care together."

Tara was not to be distracted by extra information.

"You have a _date_ …" she said in a sing-song voice, big cheeky smile on her face.

Rick kept his expression neutral.

"Keep your eyes on the road," he instructed, a little more terse than he intended, but he really didn't want to be having this particular conversation.

He hadn't been on a date since the divorce. Hell, he hadn't even thought about dating, not seriously anyway. Was he thinking about it now? He'd gotten used to being a single parent and gotten pretty good at it, too.

All he knew was that, off and on until Friday afternoon he kept thinking about a dark skinned woman with deep brown eyes that sparkled with mystery and a 100 Watt smile that made him feel weak in the knees.

He'd known her for all of one conversation, and one traffic stop, but there was something about her that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Something beyond pure physical attraction. He recognized something in her that felt familiar.

Maybe he was crazy. Maybe he was lonelier than he thought and now he was imagining some mystery connection with a complete stranger.

The days and hours and minutes ticked by until Friday came.

…...

TBC!


	4. Chapter 4 - Traffic Stop AU Part 3

Baker's Dozen – Traffic Stop AU Part 3

"Well, there they go," Michonne laughed as Andre and Judith took off running for the playground the second their respective parents let go of their hands.

She and Rick sat down on a bench in the shade where they could keep an eye on the kids. Rick let out a sigh of relaxation, stretching his arms out along the back of the bench and tilting his head back to enjoy the clear blue sky.

"Long day at work?" Michonne asked, eyebrow raised.

Rick turned to her and said, "This guy hijacked a truck. He was like a ninja or something and it took all morning to catch him. And then the truck? After all that, it rolled into a lake."

"Wow, that was definitely more exciting than my morning," Michonne said.

"The chase was exciting, but oh man, the paperwork is going to be a nightmare," Rick rubbed a hand over his face, "I just want to turn my brain off for a while."

Michonne regarded him thoughtfully. She was trying to figure him out but every time she thought she had a read on him, he did something different.

He was undeniably handsome but he didn't carry himself with the arrogance of a man who knew how good looking he was. He was comfortable talking to her but didn't feel the need to fill every second with chatter. And, the other day, he had acted impervious to her obvious attempts at flirtation and yet handed her a warning when she rightly deserved a ticket.

Now, sitting beside her on a park bench watching their kids dig in the sandbox as if this was something they did all the time, he smiled at her.

"Thank you for suggesting this. Judith is usually a bit shy, but she's really warmed up to Andre," Rick said.

Michonne smiled back. She found herself telling him about how it'd been adjusting to small town life and before she knew it the shadows were growing long and the kids were back, grumbling about being hungry.

It was time to go home, but something told Michonne not to let this moment slip by.

"So," she said, "same time, same place next week?"

"Absolutely," Rick said.

* * *

"Guess what day it is!" Andre bounded over to where Rick and Judith were unloading from their car, Michonne a few steps behind him.

"What day is it?" Rick asked and Judith looked on curiously.

"It's my half-birthday!" Andre declared proudly, "I'm five and a half, _ex_ -actly!"

"Congratulations," Rick said, then straightened up to greet Michonne.

After getting to know her a little more, Rick had to admit to himself that she wasn't quite what he'd expected. For one, he'd thought that a woman as beautiful as Michonne would show up wearing a perfectly styled dress, maybe carrying a designer handbag. In short, that she would be way out of his league.

Instead, she seemed to favor black boots and tight pants, usually with a tank top that showed off her perfectly toned arms. Her style was sporty and feminine and a little rebellious, and it all made Rick like her even more.

Before his glance could turn into a stare, Judith pulled on his arm.

"Daddy? When is _my_ half-birthday?" Judith asked.

"Huh…" Rick stared into space as he calculated, then did the mental math one more time to check himself, "Actually…it's today too!"

The two children gasped.

"Seriously? Her birthday is January 12th too?" Michonne was surprised.

"Yeah," Rick confirmed.

Judith and Andre were jumping up and down in excitement. "We have the same birthday!" "It's my half-birthday too!" "We're both five and a half!" " _Ex_ -actly!"

Rick and Michonne laughed together. Then Judith seemed to realize something. She stood still and grabbed Andre's hands.

"We're twins!" Judith declared.

"I always wanted a twin!" Andre exclaimed, throwing his arms around Judith.

"Me too!" she hugged him back.

The whole scene was so hilariously adorable, Rick almost hated to break the truth, "Now, sweetheart, I'm afraid that's not how it works. You two have the same birthday, but that doesn't make you twins."

He was met with twin looks of confusion, "But…but…"

Rick glanced at Michonne for help but she gave him an amused look that said 'Go on, you've got this'. She was no help at all.

Rick took a deep breath and explained as gently as he could, "See, if you are brother and sister and you have the same birthday, then you would be twins. You two are friends who have the same birthday. Not twins. Understand?"

Andre and Judith were deflated, but not defeated. Judith frowned, thinking hard.

"But…Daddy, what if you and Miss Michonne get married? Then me and Andre will be brother and sister and have the same birthday and, and –"

"We'll be twins!" Andre finished with her.

Rick was momentarily stunned by this leap in logic. Michonne knelt down to be on eye level with the little ones, apparently deciding that Rick needed reinforcements after all.

"Even if, in some hypothetical, possible future," she glanced sideways at Rick, "Mr. Rick and I got married, you two would be step-siblings. Twins have the same birth mother."

"But…but, if you got married…" Andre was growing frustrated, tears starting to well up in his eyes.

Wary that the conversation was taking a turn to something neither of them were prepared to handle, Rick decided to use one of his favorite parenting techniques, the diversion.

"Hey, why don't you guys go play on the swing set?" Rick suggested.

Andre and Judith decided this was a great idea. They ran towards the playground, saying, "Come on, twin! Let's go!" and "Okay, twin!"

Michonne sighed in defeat, "Well, I guess it doesn't hurt to let them pretend."

The two parents found what Rick was already thinking of as their spot on a bench by the playground.

Michonne told him about the calico cat at the local shelter that she was determined to adopt, despite her landlord's rule against pets. She had an elaborate plan to sneak the cat into her apartment without detection. Rick hung on every word. He was transfixed.

During a brief lull in the conversation, before he had completely realized what he was doing, Rick asked, "Michonne, would you like to have dinner with me?"

…...

TBC!

A/N: Thank you everyone who reviewed and followed this story, it's seriously very encouraging and fun to read the comments. This chapter was a bit of a Parent Trap AU, right? Next chapter will be Rick and Michonne's date (a real one, not a play-date!)!

P.S. Assume that Carl exists in this AU and Michonne knows about him, he's just busy so he doesn't show up.


	5. Chapter 5 - Traffic Stop AU Part 4

Baker's Dozen – Traffic Stop AU Part 4

There was a crash of lightning and a rumble of thunder so loud that it shook the car. The rain was coming down hard like a frantic drumbeat on the roof. Michonne braced herself and opened the door.

She dashed up the sidewalk to the front door. Rick must have been watching for her through the window because the door swung open before she could knock and he was telling her to hurry inside.

Michonne stood in the foyer, water dripping into a pool at her feet. She laughed at the exhilaration of it all.

"I'm glad you're okay! I tried to call," Rick said, his expression worried.

"It started once I was already halfway here. I thought I'd better just keep going," Michonne said.

Rick glanced out the window at the dark and stormy world outside.

"Well, I'm afraid we're going to miss our reservations. There's no way we're going out in that," he said.

"It'll probably pass soon. Let me check my weather app," Michonne said. She didn't want to give up on their plans so easily.

The weather map on her phone showed a huge white swirl covering…she zoomed out…covering nearly all of Georgia.

Rick peered over her shoulder, "That looks like…"

"A hurricane. Was there supposed to be a hurricane today?" Michonne flicked through the app for more details.

"Wow. I really should have paid more attention to the forecast," Rick said.

"No kidding!" Michonne agreed.

The wind was howling outside and the rain fell in sheets against the windows. Realizing that Michonne was thoroughly soaked and starting to shiver, Rick went to fetch a towel. He returned with a small pile of clothes that turned out to be a t-shirt and pajama pants.

"Dinner plans or not, you'd better stay here until the storm passes," he said.

Michonne nodded, "Thanks," and was about to go change when there was a massive crash outside and the house was plunged into darkness.

"And there goes the power," Rick said, then, "Wait here, I have a flashlight somewhere…"

Before he got more than a few steps away, Michonne had pulled up the flashlight app on her phone, holding it out helpfully.

"Oh! Or that," he laughed. Their first date was turning out to be quite a disaster, but he was relieved to see that Michonne seemed more amused than upset about the whole thing.

Rick showed her to the bathroom where she peeled off her soaking wet dress and pulled on the clean t-shirt, synching the pants tight around her waist so that they wouldn't fall down. With the light from her phone casting dramatic shadows, Michonne looked at her reflection in the mirror.

She held the collar of the shirt up to her face and took a deep breath. It smelled faintly like Rick.

"I didn't expect to be wearing his clothes on the first date…" Michonne said to herself.

She wandered back through the house to find Rick setting up candles and camp lanterns around the living room.

"Cozy," she commented, thinking that the flickering lights really did make for a romantic atmosphere. The storm raging outside made it feel like they were shut off from the rest of the world.

Rick couldn't help but stare as Michonne stepped into the light. She looked so at ease in his favorite t-shirt. The sight immediately made his mind conjure all kinds of scenarios that made his stomach flip-flop. Michonne slipping out of bed and grabbing whatever shirt was closest to go make their morning coffee.

But he was getting ahead of himself. Way ahead. This was only their first date, if a botched dinner date turned sheltering-from-a-hurricane could be considered a proper date.

"So…Is there anything to eat?" Michonne asked the important question, flopping onto the couch, oblivious to the effect she had on him.

Rick realized that his own stomach was growling. He picked up a camp lantern, "Let's go see."

The fridge was pretty barren since he was overdue for a grocery run, so Rick poked around through the pantry. Soon he found something that might work. It was a just-add-water mix that they could make on the stove top.

"Ahright, I was saving this one, but I think today's the day. It's mac and cheese. And chili. _Together_ ," Rick said, pausing for dramatic effect before handing it over to Michonne for inspection.

She took the package from him, smirking, "You sure know the way to my heart."

They ate their dinner out of bowls, sitting on the floor by the low coffee table in the living room, candles flickering around them. For dessert they shared a tub of rainbow sherbet liberated from the slowly warming freezer. The conversation flowed naturally and with every passing moment Rick was more and more sure of their connection.

Rick wasn't entirely confident that he could put what he was feeling into words, but he felt he had to at least try. He needed her to know.

"Michonne, I can't tell you how long it's been since I allowed myself to want something for myself. I know it's early but this…this feels different. I want to give this a shot. You and me, together. If that's what you want."

Michonne felt a warmth well up in her chest. She looked across the small table at Rick with a soft expression, savoring the earnest, hopeful look in his eyes. She leaned forwards, her eyes catching on his like a spark. He took her cue and leaned forward as well and they met halfway in a first kiss that lingered before she slowly pulled back.

"I'll, ah, take that as a yes then," Rick said, a big grin on his face.

"Mhmm," Michonne hid her matching smile behind her mug of sherbet.

Once they finished eating Rick took the dirty dishes to the sink and Michonne checked the weather, comparing the forecast on her phone to the view outside. The most violent part of the storm seemed to have passed but a heavy rain was still coming down and the rest of the houses she could see down the street didn't have power either.

Rick came back holding a battery powered radio set. He tuned it to a classical music station and settled onto the couch. Michonne let the curtain fall back over the window and came to join him.

"I've always loved the sound of rain," Rick said.

"It's soothing, in a way," Michonne agreed.

They sat side by side, shoulders barely touching. Rick moved his hand over to Michonne's and she wove her fingers through his. When she lifted her eyes from their entwined fingers, she could see him watching her. He felt so close and yet not nearly close enough.

Rick eliminated the short distance between them and captured her lips in a kiss, warm and tender. Michonne closed her eyes and lost herself in the feel of his mouth, the feel of his hand cupping her cheek. His kisses were tentative at first, exploring her response, and then they became intoxicating.

Michonne tangled her fingers in his curls and a small voice told her that if she kept going like this, she wouldn't be able to stop. Rick adjusted their position so that he was leaning over her and, sliding down a bit so that he was on top of her, kissing with unrestrained passion, Michonne didn't want to stop.

It'd been too long since she allowed herself to want something just because she wanted it.

….

Preview: Is this a fleeting infatuation or is it true love for Rick and Michonne? Only time will tell!


	6. Chapter 6 - Traffic Stop AU Part 5

Baker's Dozen – Traffic Stop AU Part 5

Rick Grimes checked the second car seat in the back of his car for the third time. It was secure.

He and Michonne had been seeing each other as often as possible the past few weeks, with or without the kids in tow. Today marked a milestone in their relationship, in Rick's mind at least. Michonne was out of town for the weekend at a conference and he had agreed to babysit Andre.

Rick tried not to get too far ahead of himself, thinking about what it meant, but it definitely meant a lot that Michonne trusted him with her little one. He went inside the Day Care Center and signed his name twice at the front desk then headed to the classroom.

Inside, he picked out Judith's blonde curls easily. She dropped the crayons she was using and bounded over to him.

"Daddy!" Judith grinned as Rick crouched down and gave her a hug.

He couldn't believe how big she was getting. It felt like yesterday she was an infant in his arms.

Then Andre was beside them too.

"Hi, Daddy!" Andre held his arms up, ready for his own hug.

Rick froze for half a second, the little boy's words seeming to hang in the air between them.

"Hey, Buddy," Rick said, hugging Andre gently.

The two kids tugged on his hands and lead him over to see what they'd been drawing before they let him gather their small backpacks and load everyone into the car. They chattered happily all the way home.

* * *

Carl Grimes wandered into the living room where Andre and Judith had the upended the box of dress-ups and spread everything everywhere. Once again, they were playing make-believe, calling each other 'twin' and pretending that their parents were getting married.

Carl let out a sigh. He was getting tired of their childish antics.

"You know, playing pretend is not going to make you twins!" he declared.

Andre and Judith froze where they were, stricken. Carl's harsh words cut like a knife into the happy atmosphere of a moment ago. Anger simmered and tears welled up in eyes.

Oblivious to their reactions, Carl continued on, saying, "If you're going to do a parent trap, you need to do it right."

Upset turned into curiosity.

"…a parent trap?"

Carl sighed again. They had so much to learn. He supposed it was up to him to educate them. Nobody else was going to do it.

Later, Rick came into the living room to check on the kids, who had been awfully quiet. He was a little surprised to find Carl sitting on the couch, portable DVD player set on his lap, Andre and Judith curled up on either side of him. All three were intent on their movie.

"What are you watching?" Rick asked, hoping that it was something kid appropriate.

" _Dad_. It's educational," Carl said, barely moving his eyes from the screen.

It was nice to see the sometimes moody teenager spending time with the little ones, so Rick decided to trust Carl's judgment and left them be. The sight put a smile on Rick's face as he went to finish up his chores.

Rick kept replaying that brief moment at Day Care in his mind. It was probably best to wait for Michonne to get back, he thought. Let her decide what she thought about it. Was she okay with her son calling him 'Dad'?

In retrospect, he really shouldn't have been surprised. Judith had spent the past week counting down the days until her 'twin' was going to spend the night. It didn't look like the whole 'twin' thing was going away any time soon.

The rational part of his brain told him to slow down. Don't rush things. But the truth was that he was wholly, desperately in love with Michonne. They were compatible in a way he'd never felt with anyone else. And on top of that, he was quite fond of Andre too. He'd already started thinking of the little boy as part of the family.

Maybe one day, if Rick played his cards right, Michonne would say yes when he asked the big question and they could all of them be a proper family together.

* * *

The End! (for now anyway)

A/N: Carl finally makes an appearance! I think he was feeling a bit left out and that's why he came to take over the parent trap plan. I may come back to this AU at some point but I'm going to work on some of the other prompts next.

Preview: Michonne is a Jedi!


	7. Chapter 7 - Star Wars AU Part 1

Baker's Dozen – (Crack) Star Wars AU

 **Centering herself in the Force, Michonne ignited her lightsaber and the weapon hummed as she deftly slashed through battle droids, one after another, until all twenty-four lay in a smoldering heap on the forest floor.**

She took a moment to catch her breath and listen for danger but her little section of forest was quiet. She extinguished her purple saber and clipped the hilt to her belt before taking off in a sprint, heading in the direction that she'd last seen her men.

They'd half expected an ambush, but they hadn't expected an entire battalion of droids to be waiting for them. During the melee, Michonne had gotten separated from the soldiers under her command. Now she ran, leaping over fallen trees and dodging branches, all the while stretching out with the Force to try and locate her second in command.

Finally, there it was, the flicker of a familiar presence. She slowed, quieting her steps and then scrambling up a nearby tree to get a look around. Michonne peered out from the leafy branches and could barely make out a group of Republic soldiers, stripped of their weapons and their white helmets, being escorted by a squad of Separatist droids. There were a few Super Battle Droids mixed in with the regular infantry model and…rolling into view, an old model Droideka, the kind that used personal shields.

There was nothing for it but to go for it. Michonne drew deeper into the Force, measured the time until the perfect moment, and leaped into the air. She performed a tight somersault, igniting her lightsaber as she fell, and landed perfectly behind the lead Super. It collapsed, sparks erupting behind the path of her blade before any of the others had even registered her presence.

The troopers instinctively ducked to avoid the resulting blaster fire directed her way. Michonne deflected each bolt with ease, sending many back into the very droids that had shot them. The next few moments were a rush of wide slashes, leaps, and well-placed Force pushes.

A few of the troopers managed to free themselves of their wrist cuffs and grabbed fallen blasters, further scattering the droids.

The only thing that slowed Michonne down was the Droideka. It folded into itself and rolled backwards, out of reach of her lightsaber, then opened up again, firing its dual blasters from behind a shimmering force field.

Michonne deflected each bolt aimed at her and her men. Troopers used their stolen blasters to fire back, but each blast fizzled harmlessly against the shield.

This standoff couldn't last. Michonne's reflexes were strong but, sooner or later, a stray bolt was bound to slip through her defenses. And more battle droids, alerted by the commotion, were sure to appear any second.

Michonne glanced around, hoping for a solution to present itself. An idea began to form.

"Fall back!" she ordered, and the small group of fighters started to retreat.

The Droideka took the bait, stepping forward until it was right where she wanted it.

"Get down!" she yelled.

The soldiers around her obediently dropped to the forest floor. Michonne raised her lightsaber up above her head and threw it. The shimmering purple blade whirled through the air and slashed clean through the trunk of a massive tree. The tree fell, with an ear splitting crack, onto the unsuspecting Droideka.

The machine's defensive shields overloaded and its body was crushed under the weight of the tree.

Commander Rick Grimes and Captain Daryl Dixon stood beside Michonne to admire the destruction.

"Well, that's not a lightsaber technique I've ever seen before," Daryl said, a note of approval in his gruff voice.

"Me neither," Michonne admitted, allowing herself a small smile. It was a relief to see that her friends were unharmed.

She held out her empty hand and summoned her lightsaber. It sailed through the air and came to rest in her palm.

"Dixon here wanted to fight to death, but I knew you'd be back for us, General," Rick said.

Daryl grunted and got to work making sure the other survivors all had their helmets and blasters back. Michonne tried to tell herself, not for the first time, that the warmth in Rick's eyes was only friendship, nothing more. Rick turned, prepared to give the men the command to move out, when Michonne remembered something.

"Commander, I believe this belongs to you," she said, pulling a Colt Python blaster that was definitely not standard issue from where it was tucked in her belt and handing it to him.

"I thought I lost it!" Rick grinned, checking the settings and sliding it into his holster, "Thank you, General. Again."

Michonne tore her eyes away from his smile, perfect in the afternoon sun, and addressed the group, "Let's get out of here!"

* * *

TBC!

A/N: Assume that this is set during the Clone Wars era, except some portions of the Republic military are not clones. I'll make up further explanations as needed. Next chapter is Rick's POV. May the Force be with you!


	8. Chapter 8 - Star Wars AU Part 2

Baker's Dozen – Star Wars AU Part 2

Other soldiers often talked about what they would do when the war was finally over. Rick, on the other hand, couldn't bring himself to imagine a time when he wouldn't be by Michonne's side. Fighting beside her, scavenging for food on one inhospitable world after another, pouring over battle plans, scheming new ways to outsmart the enemy, holding each other up when the going got tough, which was more often than not. To Rick, that was living.

He woke each day confident in the knowledge that Michonne would be there. Jedi Master Michonne, with her indomitable spirit and selfless compassion for beings in need. Her cunning and determination shone bright even against the most dismal odds. Rick would follow her to the edge of the galaxy and back.

It was the height of foolishness to fall in love with a Jedi. Rick knew it was foolish, but that knowledge didn't change the fact that he was hopelessly and irrevocably in love with his General.

He could never tell her and they could never be together, not the way that he wanted anyway, not with Republic Army regulations and the Jedi's strict ban on romantic attachments. So he held his love tight within his chest where it couldn't see the light of day but it couldn't be snatched away either.

"Commander! You gonna stop brooding and help us with this any time soon?" Daryl's voice cut into his thoughts.

Rick Grimes shot his second in command a glare and got up to join the others.

After three days of being trapped by the cave-in, the small group of soldiers had decided that rationing their food and water, sleeping in shifts, trying the comms every few hours, and waiting for rescue was not good enough. The rest of the Republic forces moving through the subterranean tunnels, if there was anyone still left out there, probably had no idea they were even alive, much less where they were trapped.

So the decision was made to slowly and carefully attempt to dig their way out, each soldier silently hoping that the Force would protect them from another collapse. In the absence of an actual combat engineer, one of the enlisted men started directing the effort. As the commanding officer, Rick had read the man's file and knew he'd been a science teacher before the war came to his world, but nobody else seemed to have any better ideas, so he didn't argue the point.

Rick put on his helmet and clicked on the flashlight. It was going to be trouble if they didn't conserve the power cells and were left in total darkness.

"Alright, try that one next," Eugene pointed at a nice sized rock.

Rick and Daryl worked together to pry it loose and heave it to the side. It was difficult, slow work and already Rick's gloves were starting to tear. The soldiers worked for hours, until their hands were bleeding and their bones ached with every movement.

There was a small rumbling and more than a few curses as stones started to fall, kicking clouds of dust into the air. Everyone coughed and braced themselves to be crushed by the impossible weight of the world above them. But the rocks above them didn't fall and the dust slowly died down enough to see, by the light of the few flashlights with power left, a small opening.

Daryl climbed up to get a better look. He took a deep breath. There was slightly fresher air coming through the gap. He shone his light through.

"Looks like a larger chamber over here. Or maybe part of the same tunnel," he reported.

A feeling of relief rippled through the group, but they weren't free yet. Even if they escaped their little cave, there might be no clear path to the surface.

"One more push. We get into the next space, then we can take a rest," Rick said, hoping that he didn't sound as tired as he felt.

There was a chorus of "Yes, sir".

It took another hour to open the gap between the rocks wide enough for a person to climb through. Once everyone was safely on the other side, the youngest trooper volunteered to scout ahead while the others rested. Rick reminded everyone to keep quiet because they might not be the only survivors. There could still be droids roaming around, written off as collateral damage when the Separatists decided to trigger their booby traps.

The scout concluded that the Separatists had focused on collapsing only the tunnels leading towards their facility while the tunnels leading back to the surface seemed clearer.

"Ahright, Commander, what do you say we try and head back the way we came, regroup with reinforcements?" Daryl asked, brushing dirt off his gear as he prepared to get moving.

"No," Rick said, and Daryl gave him a look. That was not the answer he was expecting.

"We need to find the General," Rick said, "She wasn't too far from us when the traps blew. She could be in trouble."

Daryl hesitated before suggesting, "How do you know she isn't back on the surface?"

"Yeah," someone else added, "She's got those Jedi reflexes, probably jumped out of the way just in time. Hell, she's probably finished off all them droids already!"

"If that was the case, she would have come back for us by now," Rick countered, then said in a tone that made it clear this was his final decision, "Our first priority is to find the General."

Daryl watched Rick for a moment before nodding.

It was a risky plan, maybe even foolish. Their best chance of survival was to retreat and find the rest of their forces, but Rick had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that had been growing ever since the cave-in. Michonne was in trouble and she needed him.

Progress through the tunnels was agonizingly slow. The group walked in single file, only the soldier on point using a flashlight. They did encounter some droids but, separated from a larger power source, they had all run out of juice and collapsed on the ground, useless.

"Well now what?"

They had come to a large cavern where several winding tunnels split off in different directions, many of them thick with rubble.

"There's no way we're going to find the General in here," somebody said, voice heavy with exhaustion.

Rick walked away from where the others were sitting on boulders. In the big empty quiet of the cave, Rick tried to imagine what Michonne would do in his place. _Trust the Force._ Rick didn't have the gift of being able to feel the Force, but he could trust his instincts. That would have to be good enough.

He opened his eyes and found he was facing a passageway that was halfway collapsed but there still looked like enough space to climb through, if one was careful.

"The General is this way," Rick said, not sure where his certainty was coming from.

"How do you know?" Daryl asked.

"…I just know. I have a feeling," Rick said.

"You just know?" Daryl repeated, getting to his feet and joining Rick, "Are you a Jedi too now?"

The question was dangerously close to insubordination, but considering the circumstances, not unwarranted.

Rick stared Daryl in the eye, imploring, "I need you to trust me."

Finally Daryl sighed and said, "Fine. What else am I gonna do anyway?"

Rick decided that only he and Daryl would continue on down the tunnel and the others would remain where they were and attempt to scavenge any supplies from the dead troopers and powered down droids scattered about.

The two men set off, climbing over and around jagged rocks, feeling their way in the dark. The voices of the other men became faint echoes in the distance and the air grew thick with dust. Rick felt like his legs were about to give way and Daryl was even quieter than usual. The passageway was getting narrower and Rick didn't know how much further they could go when Daryl stopped him.

"You see that? There's a light," Daryl said, pointing.

Rick looked carefully, turning back the way they came and then forwards again to compare. The way ahead was faintly lighter. With renewed determination, they kept moving and each step brought them closer to the light source.

"It looks almost…" Rick squinted.

"Purple," Daryl finished for him, "Looks like we're on the right track."

Rick squeezed past a pile of rocks and then he saw her. She was on the ground, leaning against a large rock. Her lightsaber was propped up between two rocks. Her cream tunic was dark with dirt and, Rick's breath caught in his throat, blood. Both of her legs were badly broken and her face was bruised and swollen.

"Michonne!" Rick gasped. He carefully crouched by her side.

" _Michonne_?!" he said a little desperately, then Michonne turned her head to him and, with some difficulty, blinked open her eyes and he felt a massive rush of relief.

"Knew you'd come…" she said, her voice so quiet Rick could barely make it out.

He touched her gingerly, cradling her head against his chest, whispering, "I knew I'd find you."

For a long moment he simply held her and she leaned into him.

"Let's get you out of here," Rick said and, as carefully as he could, he lifted Michonne in his arms.

She looped her arms around his neck, her head resting against his shoulder. He hated that moving her probably hurt but he had to do it. Using reserves of strength he didn't know he had, Rick took each step with deliberate care. Daryl led the way, holding Michonne's lightsaber out in front of him for light.

By the time they made it back to the rest of their little group, a Republic rescue squad had found them. A brief cheer went through the group and then a sense of urgency as they realized how badly their General was injured. Two medics rushed to Rick and he slid Michonne onto a stretcher. He only had a second to squeeze her hand before the medics rushed her away.

Rick stared after her, exhaustion swirling his thoughts in circles around and around. He found her. She needed him and he found her. He needed her. He loved her.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his second in command. Daryl watched his friend for a moment.

"Let's get out of here."

* * *

TBC!

A/N: Don't worry, Michonne is going to be fine! The Jedi healers will fix her right up. (Also assume Daryl gave back the lightsaber before the medics took her away!)

Preview: Do you think Michonne realizes now how much Rick cares for her?


End file.
